5 National Monuments Reviewed by Trump Administration

20 PHOTOS

Thursday, Aug 24, 2017

U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is recommending boundary revisions for some national monuments but no eliminations. President Donald Trump ordered Zinke to conduct an unprecedented review of 27 monuments established by former presidents over more than two decades on lands revered for their natural beauty and historical significance.
Zinke isn't providing details of his plan, beyond proposals disclosed earlier to downsize the Bears Ears monument in Utah and leave six others unchanged. He also says no monuments would be eliminated. Still, any move by Trump to slim down monuments may trigger legal showdowns over whether one chief executive can undo or modify another's decisions about them.
So what's next? Zinke's report goes to Trump, who will make the final call about whether to change the status of any monuments. Environmental groups and Native American tribes are expected to challenge any eliminations or reductions.
Congressional Republicans have at least five pending bills that would deny the president unilateral authority to designate future monuments, requiring approval of Congress or the governors and legislatures in affected states. Some would add further conditions.
Here's a closer look at five of the 27 monuments that are being re-examined.